On August 15, 2025, two significant developments in Brazil’s agricultural sector highlighted the country’s ongoing push toward sustainability and food safety. The first saw CNH, a prominent global leader in agricultural machinery, make history as the first manufacturer of its kind to join the UN Global Compact Brazil Network. The second featured a groundbreaking scientific collaboration between the University of Northumberland in the UK and the Federal University of Santa Caterina in Brazil, aiming to tackle Brazil’s escalating pesticide problem using technology derived from everyday electronics.
Brazil’s place in the global agricultural landscape is hard to overstate. As the world’s largest producer of sugarcane and coffee, and having recently overtaken the United States as the top soybean producer, the nation’s farmlands are both an economic powerhouse and a focal point for international food security. Yet, with this success has come a surge in pesticide use—over 720,000 tonnes were sold in Brazil in 2021 alone, marking a 5% increase from the previous year, according to BBC reporting.
It’s against this backdrop that CNH’s decision to join the UN Global Compact Brazil Network stands out. The company, already a signatory at the global level, is now connecting with local initiatives to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the Platform for Sustainable Agriculture. This platform specifically targets SDG 2 (Zero Hunger and Sustainable Agriculture), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). CNH also places priority on SDGs 3, 8, and 10, which focus on Health and Well-Being, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Reduced Inequalities, respectively.
“We have no doubt about the centrality of agribusiness in the Brazilian economy and its increasingly relevant role for sustainable development,” said Rafael Miotto, President Latin America at CNH, as quoted by ESG News. “Once again, CNH and its Case IH and New Holland brands take the lead in facing today’s challenges. And CNH becomes the first representative among agricultural machinery manufacturers to become a member of the Global Compact Brazil Network.”
This commitment is not just symbolic. CNH’s leadership in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices has been recognized globally. The company ranks in the top 5% worldwide in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook and secured second place in the electrical machinery and components category of the S&P Dow Jones Sustainability Index. It has also earned leadership scores from CDP in Climate and Water Security, underscoring its proactive stance on issues that are rapidly becoming central to global business.
The UN Global Compact itself is a massive undertaking, with over 25,000 member organizations across 167 countries. Its mission is to mobilize businesses to align their strategies with universal principles in human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. For CNH, this means not only maintaining high standards within its own operations but also influencing the broader agricultural industry in Brazil—a sector that, as Miotto pointed out, is vital for both the nation’s economy and the planet’s future.
While industry leaders like CNH are taking steps to align with sustainable practices, scientists are working on the ground to solve one of the sector’s most persistent challenges: pesticide contamination. In a novel approach, researchers from the University of Northumberland and the Federal University of Santa Caterina have teamed up to adapt fluorescent light technology—familiar from TV and mobile phone screens—into sensors capable of detecting pesticides and herbicides in food production.
The heart of this innovation lies in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). These sensors are designed to glow when they encounter specific chemical residues, providing a rapid and accurate way to identify contamination on farmland. The project, supported by a £0.2 million grant from the Royal Society’s ISPF International Collaboration Awards, brings together Northumbria’s expertise in OLEDs and Santa Caterina’s deep knowledge of food contamination and soil science.
Dr. Mark Etherington, assistant professor in molecular photophysics at Northumbria, has been leading research into the light-emitting and absorbing properties of fluorophore molecules. He expressed optimism about the project’s potential, stating, “I’m excited to take the knowledge we have in the specific area of OLEDs and turn it on its head to find a brand-new pathway to solve a global problem. If this study works in the way we hope, we believe the science behind it will be applicable for a wide range of industries. There is some huge potential from this work.”
The stakes are high. A study of 4,600 food samples in Brazil found that more than 50% contained pesticide residue, and 23% had either more residue than is legally allowed or included pesticides not permitted on the crop, as reported by The Guardian. Such figures highlight the urgent need for better detection and management of chemical use in agriculture—both to protect local consumers and to safeguard Brazil’s lucrative international exports.
Dr. Leonardo Furini from the Federal University of Santa Caterina, who has been developing methods to detect contaminants in food, water, and soil, emphasized the importance of early detection. “To effectively reduce this contamination of food pathways, early and accurate detection of pesticides and herbicides is necessary. Development in this area of pesticide and herbicide detection will have a great impact on the Brazilian economy and will strengthen food security for the local populace and their international exports.”
The collaborative project is also benefiting from the technical expertise of HORIBA, a leading developer of spectrometry and sensor technologies. Dr. Simon Fitzgerald, HORIBA UK’s head of science and technology, described the project as a “brilliant example of taking existing technology and applying it in new ways which may unveil real-world impact.” He added, “We’re delighted to connect the project researchers with experienced HORIBA scientists in both the UK and Brazil to explore how the latest spectroscopic and imaging technologies can be applied. Technical exchange with the researchers will ensure the most effective use of the latest products and help translate data into meaningful insight.”
As Brazil continues to expand its agricultural output, the convergence of industry leadership and scientific innovation offers a glimmer of hope in addressing the sector’s most pressing challenges. CNH’s commitment to sustainable development and the pioneering work of cross-continental research teams underscore a shared recognition: the future of food production must balance economic growth with environmental stewardship and public health.
With these efforts gaining momentum, Brazil’s agricultural sector may soon set new standards not just for productivity, but for sustainability and safety—goals that resonate far beyond its borders.